Drz400 Thread

Use this thread to ask questions,share tips & stories about Suzuki's finest ever dual purpose bike.
I know they're next to perfection,& don't need much doing to them(except skid plates/radiator guards/new tires etc& that DRZ owners are mostly riding their bikes rather than sitting in front of a damn computer,but when you get a minute or two,let's build our own section on here for this great little bike.

I had one for 5 years, it was a real nice, easy to own and service, but I wouldn't say great.. if it were made 5 years earlier, it would have been a GREAT bike in its time.... it was the XR400 of its decade...

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Quick link to everything about the DRZ400S in this linked thread......

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(*Disclaimer: Not endorsing anything or anyone, only consolidating input and suggestions from throughout the thread)

that's alot o'money ya spent there Mr Paochow!
l've just got mine(how'd ya do that bike history thang you gave the link to?)

So l'm just starting to get it farkled by using a local supplier here in 'Vegas called Thumpertalk(www.thumpertalk.com) & they seem to give good discounts,but it's worth calling in just for the pleasure of seeing Melissa!

Anyway,to get back to the subject,yesterday(Fri l bought a new skid plate,clutch & ignition protector kit,radiator guard/brace,& handshield bars.
Oh!!!!!!!!& tire irons,'cause guess who got a flat on his 1st trip out!!!!!

I don't have quiet the list of mods as paochow, but have done some improvements. Respringing the suspension suprised me the most. I'm currently installing the FCR from an E model. I say currently because it has been an on-going project for a month or more.

I rode it today for the first time with it & all I can say is WOW! The difference is night & day for throttle response & snap. However, as I pull it into the driveway, I noticed a real strong gas smell. I look at the carb & the damned thing is leaking from the float bowl.

I disassembled the carb & turns out the float bowl gasket was pinched & seemed to be a little dry rotted. Also, my accelerator pump squirts too long, so I'll order the CRF 450 kit for it. I can't wait to finally get it done. It's a 'dial-a-wheelie' machine with the FCR!!

I guess you could still consider my DRZ a DRZ. It's a 500 now, been that way for nearly 750 miles.

As the bike sits right now, it has a 97mm bore and piston, +5mm stroke, FCR 41 from a KTM 450, Yoshi TRC pipe, oversized intake valves with a port job on the in and ex sides (I got the head for $100 from a friend in Alberta Canada).

If it weren't for my good friend Dave, I wouldn't have the 500 though. He did way more work with me over the phone than I ever would have asked him to do.

I just got the S version. What is the best bang for the buck to get more power out of it? I am cheep and dont want to spend a lot of money and I dont really want it to be super loud.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o> </o>Also what kinda range are should I expect??
<o> </o>Thanks

As for the service manual, that's copyrighted!! Don't want to get the mods pissed off at us. (Just google "DRZ400S manual" and you'll find it. )

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That is a great link you posted there Space,& some great tips like short circuiting the side stand sensor switch etc;
lt's good to see what the rest of you are doing to your DRZ's,no matter how small,we all have different goals,& different budgets,so just keep posting guys,tell us what you did last weekend,did you fall off,did you get a flat,did you reach your riding limits,are you going to do a mod?Tell us,we might want to share you experience & learn from your experience.

l also see that there's a lot of Thumpertalk stickers on your bikes,this outlet must be very popular.......we have our own shop that we can call into here in 'Vegas & pick up parts which they give us a "local" discount on.

I just got the S version. What is the best bang for the buck to get more power out of it? I am cheep and don&#8217;t want to spend a lot of money and I don&#8217;t really want it to be super loud.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>Also what kinda range are should I expect??
<o></o>Thanks

Click to expand...

You will find the answer to the cheapest power mod in the 1st paragraph regarding carb's at the top of the link that Space has provided us with.

I just got the S version. What is the best bang for the buck to get more power out of it? I am cheep and don&#8217;t want to spend a lot of money and I don&#8217;t really want it to be super loud.

Click to expand...

Most guys add a pipe or drill out the stock exhaust, but mostly you get noise/thunder without much power benefit. You do save some weight though. Personally, I wanted quiet and am running the stock exhaust - it works fine.

It's pretty hard to beat the 3x3 mod - it will give you a couple horse for $60 or so. You cut a 3"x3" hole in the top of the airbox (can be done in-situ with a hot putty knife), fit the needle and CV diaphragm spring from a DynoJet Stage 1 kit, and replace the main jet and pilot jet - I think I used a 142.5 and 25 respectively for a sea level bike as per Burns' suggestions in Thumpertalk.

On my FCR, I was able to bend the tab that the accelerator pump lever rests on and adjust the duration with that. Thought I might have to file it, but a small 3mm bend reduced the squirt from 3 seconds to a little over 1 sec.

Thanks! I did a little more research & figured out the famed "Taffy Mod". I had seen it mentioned a bunch of times, but hadn't seen a "how to" anywhere. After a little help from Eddie, i found a couple of pic's from guys that had done it &, well you know what they say about pictures...

Needless to say, I'll be off tomorrow to buy a 3/32 colar from the hobby store. Here's a couple of links with pic's that explain a great deal about the mod...